Astrological Outlook - May 31 - June 6
White Owl
31 May 2010
This week brings an atmosphere of abstract and otherworldly concerns. There will be a definite shift of attention away from recent worries about practical matters toward intangibles such as dreams, hopes, intuitions, and visions of possible futures. These are important intangibles, for as it has been said, where there is no vision, the people perish. In other words, human beings need something of spiritual meaning and hope in order to thrive. This week brings that concept into prominence.
The key astrological factor driving this development is the great spiritual planet Neptune. On Monday, Neptune reaches the point in its orbit which appears to our earth perspective as though it stops its forward motion and stands still. In truth, no planet ever does this, but the matter of perspective does make a difference. From earth perspective, on Monday it will appear that Neptune does this thing. Centuries of astrological observation have demonstrated that moments such as this bring powerful stimulus from the planetary body in question. This week, it’s Neptune, for the reason just described. And then there’s another. Later in the week, the fast-moving inner solar system planet Mars makes a direct opposition to the slow moving outer solar system Neptune, putting an even greater focus on Neptunian themes.
When astrologers speak of planetary motion, they mean motion within the zodiac. The relative speed of planets within the zodiac is determined by how near the center of solar system they are, or conversely, how far from the center of the solar system they are. Mars is much closer to the center of the solar system than is Neptune. The planets close to the center of the solar system symbolize issues which are close to everyday life. The planets far from the solar system symbolize issues and matter which are removed from daily life, abstract, intangible, invisible in some cases, or ethereal in some way.
Neptune as a far out planet in particular symbolizes and rules over matter of religion, beliefs, the spirit world, of art, music, poetry, feelings, intuitions, romance, and idealism – all of which are in some way a tad off from hard-nosed practical realities. Yet we as human beings crave these things and must have them to one degree or another if our lives are to have meaning. These are “vital intangibles.” Mars as an inner planet relates to basic drives such as the instinct to maintain physical survival of the species. Mars interacting with Neptune shows that basic drives are significantly dampened this week as other values gain in importance. This can be both bad and good, depending. For some it will bring a moment of imaginative inspiration, which may be good. For others, it may bring moments of confusion and disorientation, especially on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
In any case, we will discover that vital intangibles come to our attention forcefully this week. We must seek and find the ideas, beliefs, feelings, and connections with spirit which make life worth while. This may not be an entirely easy journey, as the lack of core meaning may be the first thing to surface, and this will happen early in the week and then again throughout the week. It’s this gnawing need which will drive us to seek understanding in some meaningful form.
This is the good side of what’s up this week. The bad side is that feelings of emptiness may lead some persons to seek in problematic places for the vital intangibles they need. Everyone should watch out for and avoid self-destructive behaviors, such as over-indulgence in food, drink, sex, spending, substances, entertainment, or other diversions and immersions. It would be better to seek instead in the areas of meaningful spiritual dialogue, music that speaks to the soul, holistic healing, peaceful exercise such as yoga stretches, and calming or inspiring outdoor areas (especially those near water).
For the lovers out there, this week can bring both ups and downs in romance. Feelings, moods, and emotions are likely to be stronger than usual. This may be good, tender, or rewarding in some cases and yet troublesome in others. The main thing to do to keep your own boat on even keel this week is to avoid falling into roles of helplessness and powerlessness. Taking responsibility for one’s own feelings will help considerably. Making statements such as “you make me feel” thus and such will only confuse the situation because they attempt to make the other person the cause of all things. Then the other person has to battle out the position of being responsible for the accuser’s state of mind. Whew! Difficult! By contrast, self-responsibility this week is the key to keeping self and relationships out of the wacky zone. Sunday, Jupiter enters Aries for about three months, giving power to the cause of the individual and the power to do just that.
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